Insulation for third rails.



L.' STEINBERGER. INSULATOB Pon THIRD RAILS. APPLICATION P ILED FEB. 2, 1909.

928,709. Patented July 20,1909.

W/TNESSES N VE N TOF 4 auz'afez'n ezjyer..

A TTOHNEYS LOUIS STEINBERGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INsULaToR Fon THIRD RAILS.

Specification of Spetters Patent.

:Patented July 20, 19,09.

Application led February 2, 1909.l Serial No. 475,584.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis STEINEERGER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city .of New York, borough of Brooklyn,

in the'county of Kings and State of New.

York, have invented a new and Im roved Insulator for Third Rails, of which t e following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to insulators for third rails, my special purpose being to produce an insulator of this general type, and arranged as to afford a maximum of mechanical strength coupled with good insulation, a minimum of working parts and low cost.

Among the particular objects sought to be accomplished by my invention are the following: I. To provide means for protecting the insulator from mechanical injury.

To so dispose a portion of insulating material in the construction as to reduce to a minimum the evil effect of moisture. III. The provision of means whereby a movable portion of the insulator may be connected with the rail and so arranged as to turnlrelatively to a stationary portion of the insula tor. IV. The adaptation of improved means for securing the insulator to a separate base,- thus enabling the operator to handle the 'entire device, as a single unit ii desired. V.-

The provision of mechanism for locking the insulator in a predetermined position relatively to the support. VI. The provision of mechanism for taking up the pounding action otherwise taking place between the insulator and the base, owing tothe alternate depression an'd rebounding of across tie when a train passes over it. VII. The means for mounting the insulator upon the rail so as to retain the insulator securely in position'.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this 'specification, in which Ysimilar characters of reference l indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. Figure 1 is a perspective showing my improved insulator mounted upon a cross tle and ready for use Fig 2 is a plan view ofthe insulator complete, showing it as removed n.

so constructed cylindrical portion 7 and with' aweb 7a integral with it, whereby the cylindrical portion 7 is closed at its up er end. A cap 8 having generally a cylindrical form is provided with an annular bead 9 extending entirely around it, this bead being a little below the top 8a of the ca' and occupying substantial y the same pihne as the web 7 A bolt -10 extends through the top 8a the cap and also through theweb 7a. v This bolt is threaded and mounted upon it is a reve .oluble nut 11. By loosening this nut the .cap 8 may be turned relatively to the base `4,

and after the cap is'thus turned the nut 1-,1 may be tightened, thereby locking the cap rigidly in a new position. The base 4 is provided with ,openings 12 which facilitate ac cess to the interior of the base 4, in order to apply a wrench to the nut 1 1, thus looking all f the parts rigidly together, and also conserv ing the metal used in constructing this base.

A late 13 isprovided with a flange 14'integra with it and turned obliquely down ward. This plate and ilange together con- .stitute a cup which is provided internally with a bead 15. This bead is disposed a little out of alinement with the bead 9. plate 13 is provided with bearers 16 integral with it', these bearers extending from edge to edge of the plate and terminating in beveledA surfaces, 17. The plate 13 is made of malleable metal and is rovided with lugs 18 inte gral with it and a so malleable. These lugs are` adapted tobe kben-t inwardly for the purposeof'securing the flange of the' rail. The

ltread of the rail rests upon the bearers 16.

` The Disposed intermediate the cap 8 and the 4 y outer cup is a mass 19 of insulating material'. The lower edge of this mass of insulating material is .provided with a downwardly extending portion 20 and within and without this ortion are `annular l grooves 21, 22.

-The ownwardly extending edge 20 tends to facilitate the dripping of any moisture which may gather upon the insulating material,

and especially such as may collect in the grooves 21, 22, and at the same' time increases the extent of insulating surface'between the outer cup and inner cap.

The annular beads land 9 being out of almement with each other, the mechanical strength of the member of insulating inatep rial isvirtually increased, becausethe beads 9, 15 vextend into the mass of insulating` material, but as they do not extend directly toward each other, the mass is not rendered much thinner at any particular point than -rould be the case if the beads were omitted entirely.

The cap S is normally iree to turn 1n relation to the base and in this way can accommodate slight changes in the position of the rail. The toes 5 of the base 4 are secured firmly upon cross tie 28 by aid of spikes 24.

l do not limit myself to the use of any particular insulating material, but prefer to employ the insulating material well known in the art as Helectrose. Nor do I limit mysel to the exact form nor to the details of any or all of the parts herein shown anddescribed, nor to any particular combination of elements entering into the construction of my insulator, as it will be evident to those skilled in the art that changes in the construction, form and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention. n

Having thus descrlbed my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the character' described, comprising a base, a bearing member supported by and engaging said base, means for locking said bearing member to said base, a body of insulating material engaging said bearing member, and arail supporting member mounted on said insulating material.

2. A device of the character described,

comprising a cap provided externally with aprojection, a cup provided internally with a projection andurther provided with a surface for engaging a rail, a mass of insulating material molded rigidly to said cap and said cup, and a hollow base provided with a portion extending into said cap.l

3. A- device of the character described, comprising a metallic hase provided with securing portions and with a hollow cylindrical supporting portion, a metallic cap engaging said supporting portion and concentric thereto, means for locking said cap to said supporting portion, a cup-like member for supporting a rail, and a mass of insulating material connected rigidly' to said cap and to said cup-like member.

. drical portion,

4, A device of the character described, comprising a base provided with a cylindrical portion, cap engaging said cylinloblring mechanism for holding said cap and said cylindrical portion together, a cup-like member provided with a portion for supporting a rail, and a mass et insulating material disposed intermediate said cap and said cup-like member.

5. The combination of a base provided with a cylindrical top, a member journaled upon said cylindrical top and provided with a surface for engaging a rail, and locking mechanism connecting said member with said cylindrical top and controllable at nn'll for the purpose or" locking the same together.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a base providedv with a cylindrical portion, a member providedwith a cup for engaging said cylindrical portion, member being further provided withl a surface for supporting a rail, and locking mechanism mounted upon said member and controllable at Willfor the purpose of securing said member rigidly -in relation to said base.

7. A device olthe character described, comprising a base provided with an upturned portion, amember mounted upon said upturned portion and revoluble-in relation to said base for the purpose of supporting a rail, and locking mechanismcontrollable at will for securing said member rigid in relation to said base. Y

8. A device of the character described, comprising a base provided with a supportin portion having a hole through it, a revolu `#le member mounted upon said support- .ing portion and adapted to sustain a rail, a

screw connected rigidly with ysaid member and extending throughsaid opening in said supporting portion, and a nut mounted upon said screw.

ln testimony whereof l have name to this specification in the two lsubscribing witnesses.

LOUIS STEINBERGER signed my presence of Vitnesses:

WALTON HARRISON` Jenn P. DAVIS. 

